


The Heart of the Storm

by Vendetta_Keres



Series: "Do the Gods See Me?" [1]
Category: Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Lore Olympus (Webcomic)
Genre: Dysfunctional Relationships, F/M, Fights, Heart-to-Heart, Heartache, Idiots in Love, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Past Rape/Non-con
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-17 20:54:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29598600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vendetta_Keres/pseuds/Vendetta_Keres
Summary: Created from inspiration based on the song, "The Thunder Rolls" by All That Remains (I am aware that this is a cover of the original song by the State of Mine, but I like this one more). I always felt this song was written with Zeus and Hera's marriage in mind- and I wanted to write a story to go with the song.
Relationships: Hera/Zeus (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Hera/Zeus (Lore Olympus)
Series: "Do the Gods See Me?" [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2174547
Comments: 4
Kudos: 17





	The Heart of the Storm

**Author's Note:**

> Hi all, Vendetta here!  
> I am excited to say this will be my first introductory post into my series, "Do the Gods See Me?". A series that I will use to post all of my Lore Olympus one-shots. I have a million prompts I want to do and a short attention span so may the gods give me strength.

Hera's aquamarine orbs squinted, creating an intimidating grimace on her face that only accentuated the bitterness that she always demonstrated towards her husband with her thick, dark eyebrows. The two monarchs sat in their thrones, Zeus upright and Hera slumped, looking down their dais at their royal court. The queen of the gods felt she would never get used to the excessively bright light of Olympus. The fact the entire temple was white marble and gold did not help either.

Looking down at the royal court only frustrated the supposed goddess of marriage more because it made her feel more a part of a king's harem than a wife. She could see Athena, evidence of Zeus' true love in the form of their only child, in the corner of the room. To the left of Zeus at the bottom of the dais was Themis, a Titaness her husband had many children with.

______________________Trigger Warning_________________________________

I did not even want to be his queen, she thought, I wanted nothing to do with him. Hera was continuously picking up the pieces from Zeus' many other escapades when she unintentionally caught his attention. He proposed to her on several occasions with her declining each time. The golden goddess promised herself she would never fall for his charms. On her way home one rainy day, she saw a purple martin with an injured wing. Feeling her eyes tear up and her heart twist for the little bird, she offered her right hand and the bird jumped into her palm. She held the bird in her hands close to her chest while she wondered what the best course of action would be. As she was admiring the bird's colorful hue, some of the lighter purple feathers were darkening and the bird grew in mass and height.

Letting out a shriek, she tried to throw the little bird out of her hands and as far away from her as she could. But it was already too late, in a cloud of Concord smog and electric sparks, the small, purple bird was gone and Zeus was nosed to nose with Hera and the God pinned the goddess to the muddy ground before she could act.

She woke up naked in the grass next to a peacefully sleeping Zeus, goosebumps crawling up her skin from her nerves just registering how cold, dirty, and wet she really was. Wet, hot tears chilled and dried against the cold wind as they dripped down on her face. She felt something dry and sticky and looked between her thighs to see dried ichor and her attacker's seed oozing out of her. A cracked, heartbroken whine came from the back of her throat as she pulled her legs into her chest and balled herself up for warmth and to find any way to cope with the trauma she had just endured.

____________________________Trigger Warning End_____________________

Now the queen sat cold and expressionless on her throne next to her husband and attacker. That day is something she hates to be reminded of, however, her entire living situation reminds her of that day. She sipped a gin and tonic and sat beside her husband as he worked, like a novelty doll. Every now and then, Zeus would attempt to reach for Hera's hand but she would pull away, forcing the king to place a hand on her knee to the queen's annoyance. She only married him because he forced himself on her, ending her chance of finding any other male prospects or chance of regaining honor otherwise. The blatant misogyny surrounding the rites of marriage was what kept Hera imprisoned to her husband, which made her role as goddess of marriage only even more of a joke.

Whilst her husband's meaty, callused thumb rubbed circles into the tendons above her knee's joint capsule, she tried to ignore the fact his eyes would mindlessly follow the female help as they scurried about the throne room or how he would periodically lean in close to one of the pretty attendants nearby and whisper something in their ear. Just because my marriage is a joke does not mean I am not good at my godly duties, Hera tried to remind herself. Still, her husband's thumb weighed heavy on her knee and felt uncomfortable there, like it never belonged there.

So far, today had been a relatively tame day for her as a young queen. Hera had only had two things that helped her cope when in the face of her husband's infidelity, gin and tonics and her cigarettes. Sadly, neither of those two things could contain her rage when she found what was at the doorstep of their chateau. She opened one of their solid gold doors and saw a God-nymph half-whit with magenta skin holding a ruby-skinned babe in her arms.

Without either saying a word to each other, only Hera's aquamarine orbs studying the terrified burgundy eyes of the mother and the resemblance the crimson baby had to her baby Ares, Hera quickly connected the dots and slammed the front door.

The queen of the gods stomped into the throne room where she caught the tail end of several female servants scurry away from her husband's throne, leaving him searching to find the reason they ran. His indigo irises widened once they landed on his wife, showing a look of perplexity that read as him trying to read if she was enraged or just her normal level of bitterness. "Bunny! Come join me for a drink." He beamed at Hera, trying to project some of his contagious optimistic charms.

The goddess shook her head, causing some of her golden locks to shake in the air. "You said you loved me. You said you would try."

Small statics of electricity were crackling throughout the crown of Zeus' head as a sign of anger to her words.

"You did not even last a month into our marriage it seems... Maia is on our doorstep with a baby right now." Her voice shook with rage and heartache. "You should go talk to her... I slammed the door in her face and left her there."

After scowling at his wife for a moment, he got up from his throne and stepped down from the dais. He attempted to hug his wife or comfort her in some way, but Hera stepped further away from the king and scurried out of the room. Letting out a loud sigh he went to go meet his next child. The one he had created only two days after he and his wife's honeymoon, nine months ago. I am such a horrible husband, he internally berated himself. He would need a drink and a night out after all of this.

**Three-thirty in the morning**

**Not a soul in sight**

**The city's looking like a ghost town-**

**On a moonless summer night**

**Raindrops on the windshield**

**There's a storm moving in**

**He's heading back from somewhere-**

**That he never should have been…**

**And the thunder rolls…**

**And the thunder rolls…**

A loud crack of thunder causing the house and bed to shake woke up the God of thunder and lightning. Lying prone, he flexed his back muscles to lift his head away from the pillows. The sudden shift in gravity caused the god to feel dizzy and his head to throb. He caught his head in his hands and groaned. It was then he smelled the vodka under his breath.

How much did I have to drink, he wondered.

Shifting his hips and legs slowly to sit up at the edge of the bed, he kept his face down to the ground to avoid any dizzy spells and clutched the headboard tightly with his right arm for support.

Several flashes of lightning lighted the room, burning the king’s eyes and causing him to groan. Between the flashes, he noticed the colors of the room he was in and realized he was not in his mansion.

That is the most hideous shade of green I have ever seen, Zeus snorted, and I have seen Poseidon’s naked ass. He struggled to hide his laughter and keep his inner child's mind at bay.

All the boy king could think about was the memory of his idiotic middle brother having to run through a waterpark naked because Hades took his clothes and towel as payback for something. He was quickly pulled away from his nostalgia, however, when his migraine returned full force causing him to groan even louder.

A feminine grunt sounded and the bed shifted behind Zeus causing the king to jump away from the bed and put his back against the wall. Laying in the opposite half of the bed was a petite, sea foam-toned naiad with wavy sea green locks. She had felt the bed jump and was wide awake and staring at the king of the gods with concern in her eyes. Her bright, seaweed-green irises seemed to glow in the dark. They were so exotic that they captivated the concord god.

Cocking her head sideways with a curious smile on her face, “Were you planning on coming back to bed your majesty? I promise I do not bite.” She giggled shyly.

Tangling his fingers through his long, pin-straight violet mane, he avoided eye contact as he spoke. “I apologize. I am afraid I have no memory of how I got here.” He looked at her hoping she could help him connect the dots. “I do not even remember your name…”

She showed her dazzling white teeth and gave Zeus a saccharine smile, “We never exchanged names. I am Thetis and I already know who you are your majesty.”

“And… how exactly did I get here?” Zeus watched her intently as she stood up from the bed with not a single piece of clothing covering her and walked across the room to a dresser and rummaged through the drawers.

“You were pretty sad and lonesome when we spoke at the bar, maybe a little tipsy too. You said you wanted to release some of your stress and I invited you to come to stay at my place for the night. Your wife must be a piece of work if what you were telling me at the bar was true…” The naiad’s voice very mattered of fact.

A sudden beat of thunder pounded against the earth so loudly, it was as if it were within feet of the home. Thetis whipped her head towards the god of the skies to see his eyes glowing lavender and an agitated look on his face.

“You do not get to talk about your queen that way.” He spat.

“Then why is she always talking to you like that.”

Zeus stayed silent. Lightening periodically illuminated the room through the windows and thunder would thrum in the background at a greater distance.

“You were crying in a bar about how you are a shit husband, but what it really sounds like is that your wife doesn’t love you and uses your mistakes as ammunition to make her feelings clear.” She paused to let her words sink in. “You don’t deserve to be treated like that, your majesty. You deserve better.”

“I would never treat you that way.” Thetis boldly stated while approaching the now-softened king. She climbed onto his lap and kissed him on the lips, immediately gaining entrance into his mouth. It took them less than a minute to fall back onto the bed and entangle themselves in the bedsheets.

**Every light is burning,**

**In a house across town**

**She's pacing by the telephone,**

**In her faded flannel gown**

**Asking for a miracle**

**Hoping she's not right,**

**Praying it's the weather-**

**That's kept him out all night,**

**And the thunder rolls**

**And the thunder rolls…**

Hera laid within a nook of a bay window in the lounge of the West wing, her head tilted against the glass, watching the lightning dance across the skies and the thunder drum to its own tune. The pattern and movement of the storm were enough to tell her that her husband was influencing the weather. What had her concerned was that he was away from home and this storm was happening.

Was he drunk in some mortal realm tavern, sleeping with another mortal? Was he with his brothers, arguing over something stupid or disturbing the peace? He has no right to be mad at her even. He was the one that could not keep his promise.

She and her husbands' relationship was frustrating to be a part of, let alone try to understand. Although he continued to hurt her repeatedly with his trysts and misogyny, there was a small part of her that could not help to love him. Zeus was the father of her children, the man she chose to commit her life to and was her best friend at one point in time.

How did they let their marriage get this broken?

“Mommm,” Eileithyia approached her mother while sleepy rubbing her eyes and groaning. “When is daddy coming home? He promised he would read me another fable tonight.” The young goddess’ hair was already braided back and she had her nightgown and slippers on, all set for bedtime.

“I am not sure, Ellie.” Hera lifted her daughter and placed her on her lap. “I can read you a story instead?” She offered with a concerned sigh. Even their children were noticing that their father was out late during this storm- that he was likely the cause of it.

Eileithyia tiredly nodded with her face resting on Hera’s shoulder. “I guess… I want to pick the book though.”

“Anything you want,” Hera reassured as she carried her daughter towards her bedroom in the East wing.

**The thunder rolls (the thunder rolls)**

**And the lightning strikes**

**Another love grows cold-**

**On a sleepless night (on a sleepless night)**

**As the storm blows on out of control**

**Deep in her heart**

**As the thunder rolls…**

Finding his clothes and leaving the apartment unnoticed was not as difficult as Zeus had anticipated. His clothes, jacket, and wallet were all neatly folded and placed on top of the dresser next to Thetis’ collection of perfumes. The naiad slept through Zeus trying to spot clean the smell of sex off of himself in the adjoining bathroom, rush to get dressed, and skulked out of the apartment. Scanning the parking lot of the apartment complex, it was then he realized he did not have a car and he still had no idea where in Olympus he was. It was now he would have to hope he could find his car by flying around Olympus to various bars he knew of. To his semi-drunken frustration, the storm was still continuing long after he had tried to will it to stop. It was clear he was too drunk to handle his own powers at the moment.

Minutes after Zeus left, Thetis woke up from her fake slumber with the biggest grin on her face and tried to hold in her laugh when she saw the glass bottle she had emptied earlier in the trash bin. Only reminding her of what she had done.

**She's waiting by the window,**

**When he pulls into the drive**

**She rushes out to hold him,**

**Thankful he's alive-**

**But on the wind and rain**

**A strange new perfume blows**

**And the lightning flashes in her eyes**

**And he knows that she knows,**

**And the thunder rolls**

**And the thunder rolls**

**And the thunder rolls-**

After Hera was able to get Ares and Eileithyia to fall to sleep, she checked the usual rooms and there was still no sign that her husband had come home. She resumed her position at the bay window in the West wing that gave the best view of the front yard and the skies.

After being asleep with her forehead pressed against the windowpane and her body sitting up scrunched in the corner of the bay window’s resting ledge, Hera awoke to the grinding sound of a vintage car engine being shut off and a car door being slammed. From her perch, she could see her husband exiting his white car looking slightly disheveled and was staggering towards the front entrance to the manor.

A tear dripped down Hera’s right cheek. She did not realize she was tearing up. She bolted down the hand full of corridors and stairs to reach the front entrance. Zeus had still not entered the house by the time she was at their gawdy, halcyon front doors. Feeling her chest squeeze with anxiety, she yanked the door open and saw Zeus slowly walking up the steps, being careful to not fall.

He must be piss drunk, the queen of the gods concluded.

Wearing only her nightgown and no shoes, she stepped outside and marched over to her intoxicated husband, feeling nothing but mixed emotions and wanting to hide her vulnerability. “Zeus, you’re soaking wet… where in Tartarus have you been…” Her voice held some concern and a hint of irritation. “What is with this storm?”

The king of the god’s large body leaned into her touch as she felt his saturated clothing and studied his wet, wind-frizzed hair. His voice was still silent, however, not sure what to tell his wife.

The rain was beginning to drizzle onto parts of Hera’s body that were not under the cover of the front porch. She grabbed Zeus by one of his biceps and pulled him closer to the front entrance but did not let them enter the house yet. “I was worried about you. The KIDS were worried about you, Zeus.”

Zeus felt his gut being punched that he had forgotten about his children too while being gone all day. He was only angry at Hera, not his children.

“Look, I want this to work. You are the father of my children and you were good to me at one time.” Hera spat out with an exasperated sigh while running her fingers through her hair to hide the tears in her eyes. “But I am the only one putting in any effort here.”

“What are you saying…” Small flickers of static were beginning to dance around the crown of Zeus’ head.

The eyeshadow and liner around Hera’s eyes began to melt and smudge, causing her eyes to sting. “Fuck,” she hissed while rubbing her eyes and smearing her makeup everywhere, “Maybe I should just go. I can bring the kids for visits.”

The rain and thunder began to pick up again. “No… Bunny I am trying.”

“You were gone all day after I found out you had another mistress who had just given birth, Zeus! That’s not trying at all.”

“I needed to relax, Bunny- “Zeus began but Hera cut him off.

“Don’t you dare call me ‘Bunny’ right now! You promised me you would work on bettering this marriage.”

“I want this to work too!” Zeus yelled back to get his word in.

Hera’s brows scrunched skeptically and her ocean blue eyes were so teary they could be mistaken for ice.

“It’s true! I do want this to work, Hera, but it's like loving someone who wants nothing to do with you.” The violet-hued god raked his fingers through his hair in frustration.

“I don’t want to get too close. How many times have you broken my heart now? How many illegitimate children do you have to remind me of all those times?” Hera countered, her makeup was now spread across her eyes, face, neck, and hands as her tears were still continuing to pour.

Zeus pulled Hera into his arms and put her in a comforting embrace while kissing her forehead and rubbing circles with one of his thumbs onto her right hip. “And I am sorry for every heartbreak I have caused you. I know I am a terrible husband who trapped his wife in a shit marriage.”

He rolled his eyes when she blew her nose into the shoulder of one of his favorite shirts and wiped her nose on it some more, he knew she was being spiteful. He would not let her win on pettiness this time.

“Hera, I love you and no one else. I have problems I need to work on and I want to make our marriage work.” He paused to let his words sink in a bit. “I want to be a better husband for you and for our children. Can we please try again?” He asked as he had both of their bodies slowly swaying whilst in his embrace.

Blue eyes popped out from where they were nestled in his chest. He could see her face still dirtied from the makeup but have been cleaned up a bit by his wet shirt, which was now ruined with her makeup and snot. Hera’s eyes still had a wet, glassy look and her face conveyed uncertainty. However, she moved her arms so they were no longer rest awkwardly at her sides and wrapped her arms around him. She rested her head on his chest so she could hear his heart quicken to her unexpected affection and she smiled slightly.

“I think we can try again but I need to see you actually putting in an effort.”

Suddenly, large hands were on her waist and she was lifted into the air causing her to screech. She kept her aquamarine eyes looking down at her captor’s violaceous eyes as he spun her through the air, his deep chuckle and prince charming smile making her heart melt.

However, the jovial mood was short-lived. As the inflammation in Hera’s nose from her crying went down and the wind blew around them, Zeus’ clothes and hair began to dry to a more dampened state. A peculiar smell was entering Hera’s nasal passages. Her olfactory senses could tell it was a perfume with a citrusy profile. Not something she would wear or use in the house. She did not care for citrus smells and neither did her husband. The perfume had an artificial orange scent that was so overpowering, it was offensive. As if it were a cheap, drug store perfume. Nothing anyone they knew would use.

One minute they were happy with Zeus spinning Hera in the air like a lovesick fool, the next Hera’s face was half red and she smacked her husband across the face, screeching about the mistress Zeus just came from. Forcing him to put her down and the shouting, crying, rain, thunder, and lightning to resume.

**The thunder rolls (the thunder rolls)**

**And the lightning strikes**

**Another love grows cold-**

**On a sleepless night**

**As the storm blows on**

**Out of control**

**Deep in her heart**

**As the thunder rolls (deep in her heart)**

The next morning, Hera woke up in her bed. The sounds of birds chirping indicated that the storm had stopped sometime in the night to her relief. She rolled over to see her husband asleep next to her making a quiet snore. They were both completely naked and Hera had love bites all over her neck and breast.

She sat up and surveyed the room. Their clothes from last night were haphazardly thrown all throughout the room. Her hair was still damp and there were no traces of smeared makeup on her hands or under her nails.

Small bits and pieces came back to her again. Them fighting and making up twice. Zeus pulling her into a bridal carry all the way to their room. Them ripping off each other’s clothes and making out in the shower. Things getting moved to the bedroom…

Falling back onto the pillows, Hera stared up at the ceiling in disbelief that she had done all of that last night. The goddess of marriage had gone from leaving her husband to riding the eye of the storm! Her head was beginning to spin trying to comprehend the bipolar nature of their hot mess of marriage when she felt a small jolt of energy through her.

The goddess paused her train of thought and listened to her body. In her abdomen, she sensed the faintest trace of a divine lifeforce. Not even a day after and she could sense that she was pregnant.

Unsure of what else to say, she laid there and stared again at the ceiling tiles feeling even more frustrated. The only sound in the room being her husband's faint snores and shifting in the bed.

**Deep in her heart**

**The thunder rolls,**

**The thunder rolls,**

**The thunder rolls on**

**And the thunder rolls**

Hera had laid there an hour, still processing her discovery while her husband snored beside her. Then her lips seemed to move on their own.

“Fuck Zeus.” She groaned, not caring if he heard her anger. She covered her face in her hands and rubbed her face in exasperation.

Her husband continued to sleep away his hangover, his snores filling the silent spaces between Hera’s balked exhales.


End file.
